John d



(No Model.)

vJ. D. WALDRAN. BRAKE HANDLE.

No. 577,470. Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

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UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. WVALDRAN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND 'MESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO LAFE STURDEVANT, TRUSTEE, OF SAME PLACE.

BRAKE-HANDLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,470, dated February23, 1897.

Application filed December 7,1896. Serial No. 614,839. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN D. WALDRAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Brake- Handles, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in handles for brake-staffs;and it consists in the novel arrangement and combination of parts morefully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the top of the brake-staff,showing in section the socket of the handle and the latter in sideelevation. Fig. 2 is a section on x as of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the handle-socket and the base of the handle pivotedthereto. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the base of the handle, showingthe pawl carried by the depending arm of the same. Fig. 5 is aperspective View of the pawl, and Fig. 6 is a section on line y y ofFig. 1.

The object of my invention is to construct a handle for brake-staffs, inconnection with what are known as ratchet-brakes, which, upon release ofthe brake-shoes from the wheels of the car, will allow the brake-stafito rotate back to its normal position without carrying the handle bodilywith it, as now generally happens with brakes of the type referred toaconstruction which is objectionable, making the handle liable in itsrotation to forcibly strike the brakeman about the chest and thusforming a 'source of constant inconvenience. To overcome theseobjections, I have devised a handle which in detail may be described asfollows:

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the brake-staff, the upperreduced extension 2 of which has secured thereto the ratchet 3, thelatter being located a slight distance above the shoulder 4, formed atthe junction of the reduced extension with the staff proper. The socket5 of the base of the handle 6 has a suitable cavity 7, formed at themedial portion thereof, for the reception of the upper portion of thereduced extension 2, a shoulder 8 being formed at the juncture of thesocket and cavity, which shoulder rests on top of the ratchet 3. Thesocket of the handle is kept in position on the staff by a screw 9,passed through the lower portion of the wall of the socket and into thespace formed between the lower face of the ratchet and the shoulder 4.Formed at the upper extremity posed normally parallel to the axis ofrotation of the brake-staff, the said arm being adapted to play in thespace 15 included between the laterally-extended walls 16, forming apart of the peripheral walls of the substantially tubular portion of thesocket and extending approximately to the base of the ratchet 3, carriedby the brake-staff.

The inner surface of the depending arm 14 has secured thereto a plate17, having a lateral extension or wing 18, provided with a bevel edge19, the said wing serving as a pawl, whose inner surface is adapted tonormally engage the teeth of the ratchet, said engagement being effectedby the gravitation of the pivoted handle, whose center of gravity is atsome point removed from the pivotal base thereof. When the pawl of thehandle is th us engaged, the latter when turned in proper directioncarries the brake-staff with it, and thus applies the brakes. When,however, the handle is tilted upwardly to the dotted position indicatedin Fig. 1, the pawl becomes disengaged from the ratchet, and the stafiturns back to its original position without carrying the brake-handlewith it. The pawl 18 is made slightly tapering upward, so that the fulllength of the bevel edge thereof (along which the ratchet can freelyride) will become disengaged at one time from any particular tooth ofthe ratchet, for, the depending arm 14 oscillating about a pivot, theparts farthest removed from the axis of oscillation move faster thanthose approaching the pivot. By therefore making the pawl 18 taperingthe base thereof does not become disengaged any sooner than the upperend of the pawl, and

when the pawl is wholly disengaged from the ratchet the edge thereof issubstantiallyparallel to the vertical edge of the tooth of the ratchetwhich it has just released, allowing the brake-staff to rotate freelybackward and release the brakes. In the foregoing the pivot of thehandle is of course intermediate the center of gravity thereof and thepawl 18.

The pin 12 is located to one side of the center of the chamber lO'andtoward the handle, (see Figs. 1, 3, and 4,) thus reducing the leveragewhich the base 13 exerts against the walls 11 of the chamber, reducingthereby the danger of forcing the walls apart when the motorman exertshis full strength upon the handle in applying the brakes. By thusrunning the chamber 10 back of the pivotal pin the walls 11 becomestiffer by reason of the additional metal that enters into theirconstruetion.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a brake-staff andhandle therefor, a suitable brake-staff, a ratchet carried therebyhaving teeth disposed parallel to the axis of rotation of the staff, asocket loosely passed over the ratchet, a brake-handle pivotally carriedby the socket, and a pawl, carried by the handle, adapted to normallyengage with the teeth of the ratchet, and adapted to be disengaged fromsaid teeth upon the movement of the handle in one direction,substantially as set forth.

2. In a brake-staff and handle therefor, a suitable brake-staff, aratchet carried thereby and having teeth disposed substantially parallelwith the axis of rotation of the staff, a socket adapted to be passedover the ratchet, a handle pivoted to said socket, an arm depending fromthe handle below the pivotal point of the latter, and a pawl carried bythe depending arm and adapted to play in a suitable opening formed inthe socket and adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet by thegravitating action of the handle,substantially as set forth.

3. In a brake-staff and handle therefor, a suitable brake-staff, aratchet carried thereby and having teeth disposed substantially parallelwith the axis of rotation of the staff, a socket adapted to be passedover the ratchet and rotating freely about the staff, one side of thesocket being open, a chamber having lateral bounding-walls formed at theupper end of the socket, a brake-handle having an expanded base pivotedwithin said chamber, the handle being adapted to oscillate in a verticalplane, an arm depending from the base of the handle and carrying a pawladapted to play in the space formed in the socket and to engage with theratchet under the gravitatin g action of the handle, the said pawl beingadapted to be disengaged from the ratchet by the tilting of the handleupwardly, substantially as set forth.

4. In a brake-handle, a suitable handle proper, adapted to be pivotallymounted on top of a brake-staff, an arm depending from the pivotal baseof the handle, a plate carried by the arm, and a deflected wing forminga part of the plate and serving as a pawl, said pawl being tapering fromits base upward, and having a ratchet-engaging bevel edge, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JNO. D. \VALDRAN.

Vitnesses:

. EMIL STAREK,

ALFRED A. Mari-1E1.

